Former Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins is not part of Canada Basketball’s listed athlete pool for a summer that could carry major national-team implications.
Canada Basketball’s summer 2026 pool, shared by TSN’s Josh Lewenberg, included several NBA names, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, RJ Barrett, Dillon Brooks, Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard and others. Wiggins, however, was not among the listed players.
Sportsnet’s Michael Grange pointed out the omission on X, writing that the “most prominent name not in the pool” was Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets. Grange added that Andrew Wiggins was also not on the list.
That makes Wiggins’ absence notable for two reasons. First, he remains one of the most recognizable Canadian NBA players of his generation. Second, his Team Canada status became a Warriors storyline in 2024, when he was left out of Canada’s Olympic plans before Golden State eventually traded him to the Miami Heat.
Canada is scheduled to host Puerto Rico on July 3 and Jamaica on July 6 in Hamilton, Ontario, as part of the FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup 2027 Americas Qualifiers, according to Canada Basketball. The national team entered the next window unbeaten in qualifying play after improving to 4-0 in Group B.
Andrew Wiggins’ Canada Absence Comes After a Messy Warriors Chapter
Wiggins’ latest absence from the Canada picture lands differently because of what happened before the 2024 Paris Olympics.
At the time, Wiggins was still with Golden State and had been expected to compete for a spot with Canada. Instead, the situation turned into a public back-and-forth over whether the Warriors had blocked him from participating. Canada general manager Rowan Barrett told reporters that Wiggins had been preparing and that, from Canada’s view, the decision came from Golden State rather than the player.
Wiggins never played in Paris, and the situation added another layer of uncertainty to what became his final stretch with the Warriors.
Golden State traded Wiggins to Miami in February 2025 as part of the blockbuster five-team Jimmy Butler deal. NBA.com reported that the trade sent Butler to the Warriors, while Miami received Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Davion Mitchell and a protected 2025 first-round pick.
That move ended Wiggins’ Warriors tenure after five seasons, one All-Star selection and a central role on the 2022 championship team.
Wiggins Still Has Clear Value, But Canada Has Moved Forward
Wiggins’ absence does not mean he is finished as an international player. It does, however, reinforce how much Canada’s program has changed since he was one of its obvious headliners.
Canada’s pool is now deep enough to list Gilgeous-Alexander, Barrett, Brooks, Mathurin, Luguentz Dort, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Andrew Nembhard, Kelly Olynyk, Kyle Wiltjer and multiple younger NBA prospects without Wiggins or Murray. That kind of depth would have been unthinkable for Canada a decade ago.
For Wiggins, the decision also comes at a point where his NBA role has shifted. He is no longer the young No. 1 pick trying to carry a franchise, and he is no longer the Warriors’ championship wing next to Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
He is now a 31-year-old forward with the Heat. Wiggins had 15.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game for the 2025-26 season.
That production still matters. Wiggins remains a two-way wing with playoff experience, size and athleticism. But Canada’s current pool shows the national team is not waiting on any one player to build a competitive roster.
The Warriors Connection Still Matters
For Warriors fans, Wiggins’ Canada situation is a reminder of how quickly his Golden State chapter turned.
In 2022, Wiggins was indispensable. His defense, rebounding and scoring balance helped push the Warriors through the postseason, especially in the NBA Finals. By 2024, his availability, contract and trade value were all part of the conversation around Golden State’s direction.
The 2024 Olympic dispute did not define Wiggins’ Warriors career, but it reflected the awkward stage the relationship had entered. Golden State was trying to protect its roster and trade flexibility. Canada was trying to field its best possible team. Wiggins was caught in the middle.
Now, with Wiggins in Miami and not listed in Canada’s summer pool, the story has shifted again. This no longer looks like a Warriors decision. It looks like Wiggins and Canada are moving through another international window without each other.
That is a major basketball decision, even if it arrives quietly through an omission rather than a formal announcement.
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